EU EXPANSION WON'T MEAN FEWER INVESTMENTS IN CROATIA - MINISTER

BRUSSELS, Dec 11 (Hina) - The coming European Union expansion to 10 new members will not bring Croatia significant difficulties in the influx of foreign investments but could adversely affect the agriculture, Croatian European Integration Minister Neven Mimica said in Brussels on Thursday. #L# "The coming EU enlargement won't bring Croatia significant difficulties in the economy or the influx of foreign investments because its level of development is identical to that in most accessing countries," Mimica told reporters. The minister is in Brussels attending a round-table debate on investments in South Eastern Europe. The "Invest in the Balkans" debate was organised by the German Konrad Adenauer Foundation, the Friends of Europe organisation, the Constantin Karamanlis Institute of Democracy, and the Coca Cola and Standard & Poor's companies, with the support of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe. "The enlargement might have a negative effect on Croatia's agriculture and its competitiveness because accessing countries will start receiving considerable funds from the EU budget," said Mimica. Attending the round-table debate are representatives of governments and companies from Southeast European countries, the European Commission, the European Parliament, the World Bank, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. (hina) ha sb